Manufacture 2030 launched

“New cross-industry platform “Manufacture 2030” has been launched by 2degrees to encourage sustainability and collaboration in global supply chains.

Martin Chilcott, founder and CEO of 2degrees.

The platform is aimed at retailers, brands and their manufacturing suppliers.

The Co-operative is one of the first retailers to get involved with the programme – and it is bringing around 600 food and drinks manufacturers on board with it. Other companies involved included Mars Inc., William Jackson Food Group and Npower.

“Big brands realise there is a competitive advantage to working together,” said Martin Chilcott, founder and CEO of 2degrees. “Engineers for example, like to solve problems, and they’re very willing to get involved if they are able to share and also get something back.”

According to Chilcott, the platform involves three areas: engagement channels, collaboration hubs and tools.

The supplier engagement channels are “private spaces on the platform for supply chain owners to work with their suppliers to motivate them to go beyond compliance and achieve lower costs, reduced risk and become more sustainable.”

As well as this, energy, waste and water hubs sharing best practice and experience are available to operational managers from all companies, supply chains and select third party experts through the platform. Npower is on board with this part of the programme.

Sarah Wakefield, food sustainability manager for Co-op.

Manufacture 2030 also involves a space for tools, including its M2030 bee – a new tool which operates at an individual factory level.

“Data is input, for example energy bills, and is based on everyone’s data, and this can reduce energy bills,” said Chilcott. “It will give you a list of actions based on the size of company you have.”

During a panel discussion at the platform’s launch, Sarah Wakefield, food sustainability manager for Co-op, said: “The challenge is, how can we reach more than a handful of suppliers? Each has slightly different questionnaires for example. We are sorting out the issue with reporting, and it’s really working.”